Brake device



March 28, 1939. J. w. TATTER BRAKE DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l March 28, 1939. w TATTER 2,152,104

BRAKE DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 2'7, 1928 6 sl'leets-sheei- 2 8 6 45 I05 7707/4 15 737 'fj I02 0 ray 7.32 A90 my 75 %34 46 l 101 157' 6 March 28, 1939. w, T T 2,152,104

BRAKE DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 27, 1928 6 Sheets-Shea?- 3 March 28, 1939. J. TATTER BRAKE DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Feb. 27, 1928 March 28, 1939. J, w TATTER I 2,152,104

BRAKE DEVICE Original Filed Feb 2'7, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Q IIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Mar. 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAKE DEVICE John W. Tatter, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Bendix Products Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana 2 Claims.

This is a reflle of my abandoned application Serial No. 257,397, filed February 27, 1928.

My invention relates broadly to brake devices and more particularly to brake devices for use in connection with automobiles, or the like.

A particular object of the invention is to provide brakes that are compact, durable, eflicient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide improved braking mechanism which includes means for automatically taking up slack or wear.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide improved means for holding a brake band in alignment with a brake drum.

Another particular object of the invention is to provide a brake band of improved construction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved means for displacing a brake band relative to its drum to have it apply a braking effect to the drum.

Another object of the invention is to provide an overlapping of the wrap of the most effective portions of the brake band when applied to the brake drum to retard the movement of the vehicle in a forward or rearward direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby the efficiency of the braking action when the band is applied to retard the movement of a vehicle either in a forward or rearward direction is approximately proportional to the normal requirements in the nomal operation of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction and arrangement whereby the efiiciency of the brake when applied to retard the movement of the vehicle in a rearward direction is substantially proportional to its efficiency when actuated to retard the movement of the vehicle in a forward direction.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a chassis upon which brake mechanism embodying my invention is installed:

Fig.- 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of automatically acting mechanism for taking up slack or wear in the brake mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is asection taken on line 6-43 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken on line lI--H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line l2--l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged section taken on line l3-l3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged section taken on line l4l4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is a section taken on line l5-|5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a section taken through a brake which embodies another form of the invention;

Fig. 17 shows a blank from which a brake band of the kind shown in Fig. 16 may be formed;

Fig. 18 is a section taken on line l8l8 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a section taken on line Iii-l9 of Fig. 16; I

Fig. 20 is a section taken on line 20-40 of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 21 is a section taken on line 2l--2I of Fig. 16;

Referring for the present to Fig. 1, the reference character 25 designates generally a chassis comprising longitudinal frame members 26 and transverse frame members 27 and 28. The chassis'also comprises a front axle 29 and a rear axle housing 30. Carried by the front axle 29 are front wheels 32 provided with brakes 33 and associated with the rear axle housing are rear wheels 34 provided with brakes 35. At 3'! I have shown a brake or foot pedal which is operatively connected to the brakes 33 and 35 by means comprising a shaft 38 rotatably journaled in the chassis and provided at its ends with levers 40, the levers 40 being constrained to rotate with the shaft 38. As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the levers 40 are connected by rods 4| and a to levers 43, and by rods 42 to levers 43a, the levers 43 and 43a being associated with the brakes 35 and 33, respectively. Each rod M is connected to one of the rods 4Ia by a hook and eye arrangement which permits relative displacement between the levers 40 and 43. The construction is such that when the brake or foot pedal 31 is depressed or angularly displaced in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) this movement is transmitted to the brakes 33 and 35 through the rods 42, 4| and Ma, and the brakes function in the usual manner to stop the vehicle or to cut down its speed.

The construction of the rear brakes 35 is illustrated in Figs. 2 to 13, inclusive. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that each rear brake 35 preferably comprises a drum 45 which is rigidly secured by bolts 45, or the equivalent, to its associated rear wheel. Disposed within the drum 45 is a brake band 41 which is of maximum thickness at a point substantially midway between its ends, the construction being such that .the band tapers gradually to a smaller thickness at its ends. This construction is more fully described in my copending application, Serial No. 145,970, filed Nov. 3, 1926, which has subsequently become United States Patent No. 1,814,574 issued July 14, 1931. The outer surface of the band 41 is preferably provided with a brake or friction lining 48 engageable with the interior surface of the drum 45 and rigidly secured to the band are a plurality of pins 49 upon whiclrcollars so are slidably journaled, the collars siteing provided with frusto-conical surfaces 5| engageable with surfaces 52 provided upon brackets 53., The brackets 53 are rigidly secured to a plate or disc 54 which, in this instance, is formed integral with the rear axle housing 30. twill be noted that the plate or disc 54 closes one end of the drum 45. Each pin 49 projects through a slot 56 formed in its bracket 53, there being a separate bracket 53 foreach of the pins 49. A

compression spring is carried by each pin 49,

the compression spring being interposed between the collar 50 carried by the pin and a washer 62 held uponthe pin by a cotter pin 63. Obviously, the compression spring 60 tends to hold the frusto-conical surface 5! of the collar 50 in engagement with the surface 52 upon the associated bracket 53 and also tends to contract the brake band 41. The brake band 41 may be made of any suitable material that is preferably somewhat resilient so that it normally assumes the form wherein it is shown in Fig. 2 but it is sufficiently flexible so that it may be expanded to bring its friction lining 48 into engagement with the interior'surface of the associated drum 45.

As best shown in Fig. 11, the ends of each brake band 41 are preferably rounded as at 85, one of the ends being arranged to ride in an arcuategroove 66 formed in a slide H0 and the other of the ends being arranged to ride in an arcuate slot 61 formed in the block I08. The block I08 is preferably formed integral with the disc or plate 54 and the slide H0 is preferably joumaled in the block I08. A compression spring II4 disposed in a bore II 5 which is formed in the slide I I0 urges the slide to the left (Fig. 11). Referring to Fig. 13, it will be noted that a recess I0 is formed in the block I 08 and that a slide I20 is mounted in the recess and is arranged so that it may travel from a position wherein it abuts ashoulder I22 to a position wherein it abuts a shoulder I 23. The slide II 0 is provided with teeth I" which engage teeth II8 formed- I22 before the slide IIO yieldingly urge the slide I20 toward the slide H0 to hold the teeth H8 in engagement with the teeth I". Steel balls I 29 are preferably inserted between the outer ends of the springs I25 and the surface in the block I08 against which the springs act. The balls I29 function as anti-friction devices and permit the slide I20 to move freely between the shouldersI22 and I23 when it is urged in either direction by the slide IIO. The construction is preferably such that when the brake lining 48 has not been worn to any appreciable extent and the brake band has not been expanded so that the lining engages the interior surface of the drum 40, the slide I20 occupies the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 13 and engages the shoulder I22. Then when the brake band is expanded so that its ends move away from each other, the spring II4 urges the slide IIO to the left (Figs. 11 and 13) and the slide I 20 accompanies it. Under normal conditions, the brake band will expand to such an extent that the slide I20 will be brought into a position wherein it nearly engages or actually engages the shoulder I 23 but is not displaced relative to the slide I I0. However if the brake lining becomes worn, the slide I20 will engage the shoulder I23 before the brake lining effec tively engages the interior surface of the drum. Then when the brake band continues to expand to bring the brake lining into effective engagement with the drum, the spring II4 continues to displace the slide IIO to the left (Figs. 11 and 13) .and if the brake lining is sufliciently worn, the teeth II! will advance the distance of one tooth upon the teeth II8. Then when the brake band contracts, the slide I20 will engage the shoulder has returned to its original position within the block I 08 and the brake band will be held in a slightly expanded condition. Obviously, the outer surface of the brake lining will then lie in close proximity to the interior surface of the brake drum and it will not be necessary during the succeeding operation to expand the brake band the relatively large amount it was expanded during the preceding pperatiom. It will be noted that the slide II 0 and the block I08 automatically adjust themselves to prevent too much play of the brake band within its drum. They limit angular displacement of the band around the axis of rotation of the drum.

Preferably formed integral with each brake band 41 adjacent the ends thereof are bracket members I6 and I1 which are provided with arcuate surfaces 18 and I9, respectively, adapted to ride in grooves 80 and 8|, respectively, the grooves 80 and BI being formed in a piston or plunger 83 and one end of a cylinder 84, respectively. The plunger 83 is preferably provided with an integral rack 86, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of a pinion 89 preferably formed integral with a shaft section 90. The shaft section 90 is rotatably journaled in a boss 9| which is preferably formed integral with the cylinder 84 and preferably proiects through an aperture 92 formed in the associated plate or disc 54. The aperture 92 is of larger diameter than the boss BI and therefore permits the cylinder 84 to be displaced relative to the plate or disc 54. One end of the shaft section 90 is provided with a tongue which rides in a groove 96 formed in a coupling member 91 which is provided with a tongue I00. The tongue I00 rides in a groove IOI formed in one end of a shaft section I02. It will be noted that the grooves 96 and IM extend at right angles to each other when the apparatus is assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 3 and therefore the shaft sections 9| and I02 together with the coupling member 91 form a universal joint. The shaft section I02is rotatably journaled in a bracket member I which closes the aperture 92 in the disc 54 and is rigidly secured to the disc. Rotatably and slidably journaled upon the shaft section I05 is a lever I01 provided with ratchet teeth no on its hub, the ratchet teeth I30 being engageable with ratchet teeth I3I formed upon a collar I32 which is constrained to rotate with the shaft section I02. Rigidly secured to one end of the shaft section I02 is a collar I34 and rotatably and slidably joumaled upon the reduced portions of the collar I34 is one of the aforementioned levers 43. The hub of the lever 43 is provided with ratchet teeth I36 engageable with ratchet teeth I31 formed upon the collar I32. the bracket member I05 are plungers I4I which are urged against the lever I01 by compression springs I43 disposed in the bores I40, the arrangement being such that the springs I43 cooperate with the plungers I4I to yieldingly hold the lever I01 in a position wherein its ratchet teeth I30 effectively engage the ratchet teeth I3 I. Slidably journaled in bores I41 formed in the collar I34 are plungers I50 which are held in engagement with the lever 43 by springs I52, the springs I52 being disposed in the bores I41. The construction is such that the springs I52 cooperate with the plungers I50 to hold the lever 43 in a position wherein its ratchet teeth I36 effectively engage the ratchet teeth I31.

Angular displacement of the levers I01 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) around their respective shaft sections I02 is limited by a stop I55 preferably formed integral with the bracket member I05. Preferably formed integral with each lever 43 is a lug I51 provided with a bore I50 in which a plunger I59 is slidably journaled' (see Fig. 9). A compression spring I60 disposed in the bore I58 urges the plunger I59 against the associated lever I01 and yieldingly holds the lever I01 in a position wherein a stop I62 preferably formed integral with the lever I01 engages the lever 43. Obviously, the stop I62 limits angular displacement of each pair of levers I01 and 43 in the direction away from each other.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it is apparent that if the levers 43 are displaced in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) the ratchet teeth I3I may ride over the ratchet teeth I30 when the springs I43 yield so that the levers I01 can slide along the shaft sections I02, the ratchet teeth I36 and I 31 being formed so that the ratchet teeth I36 can only slide over the teeth I31 when the levers 43 are angularly displaced in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5). However, the springs I60 are preferably of such strength that when the levers 43 are displaced in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) the levers I01 will move in unison with the levers 43 until they engage the stops I55 and therefore, the ratchet teeth I 3I do not slip over the ratchet teeth I30. If the levers 43 are angularly displaced in a- 'counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) after the levers I01 have engaged the stops I55, the springs I60 will yield so that the ratchet teeth I3I may ride over the ratchet teeth I30. When the brakes are properly adjusted, displacement of the levers 43 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) through an angle insufficient to cause the ratchet teeth I3I to ride over the ratchet teeth I30 the distance of one tooth Slidably journaled in bores I40 formed in will cause the collars I32 to angularly displace the shaft sections I02 through the same angles and this movement of the shaft sections I02 will cause the pinions 09 to displace the plungers 83 (Fig. 11) to the left to bring the forward ends of the brake bands 41 into positions wherein they hold their brake linings in effective engagement with the brake drums. The angle through which the pinions 89 travel causes them to bring the forward ends of the brake bands into these positions before the pinions have ceased to rotate and, therefore, after the forward ends of the brake bands have brought their brake linings into effective engagement with the drums, the cylinders 04 are displaced to the right (Fig. 11) so that the rear ends of the brake bands are brought into effective engagement with the brake drums. Of course, when the brake bands are expanded in this manner, they bring their entire friction linings into effective engagement with the brake drums and the automobile may be brought to a full stop or slowed down to any desired speed. If the brake linings have become worn so that the levers 43 must travel through a relatively large angle to bring the linings into effective engagement with the drums, the levers 43 will continue to be displaced in a counterclockwise direction after the levers I01 have engaged the stops I55. In other words, the operator must continue to depress the brake or foot pedal 31 after the levers I01 have engaged the stops I55. When this occursv the springs I 60 yield and the ratchet teeth I3I advance over the ratchet teeth 130 a distance of one tooth. Then when the brake or foot pedal 31 is permitted to return to its original position the springs I60 elongate to bring the stops I62 into engagement with the levers 43. This relative movement of the levers I01 and 43 causes the ratchet teeth I31 to advance in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5) over the ratchet teeth I36 through the distance of one tooth and this angular displacement of the dollars I32 is transmitted to the shaft sections I02 which is, in turn, transmitted to the pinions 89. The pinions 89 are thus brought into positions wherein they hold the brake bands 41 slightly expanded. Then the next time the brakes are operated, it will not be necessary to angularly displace the brake or foot pedal 31 through as large a distance as it was displaced in the preceding operation. It may be mentioned that the adjusting mechanism associated with the levers 43 and I01 is similar to that shown in my copending applications, SerialNumbers 203,588 and 257,396, filed July 5, 1927, and February 27, 1928, respectively which have subsequently become United States Patents Nos. 1,755,525 and 1,848,678 respectively, issued April 22, 1930, and March 8, 1932, respectively.

In Figs. 14 and I have illustrated the construction of the front brakes 33. A comparison of Figs. 3 and 14 will show that the apparatus contained within the brake drums 45 is substantially identical with the apparatus contained in the brake drums of the brakes 33, the brake drums of the brakes 33 being designated by the reference character 40a. The shaft sections 90 of the brake drums 45 find their counter parts in the shaft sections 90a-of the brakes 33. It will also be noted that I provide one of the aforementioned levers 43a for each of the brakes 33 and that the lever 43a is substantially identical in construction with the levers 43 provided in connection with the brakes 35. In connection with the levers 43a, I provide mechanism which resembles the take-up mechanism 1 provide in connection with the levers 48. Thus, I provide levers I01a in connection with the levers 43a and interposed between the hubs of the levers 43a and I01a are collars I32a which are substantially identical in construction with the aforementioned collars I32. Each collar I32a is keyed to a shaft section I and constrained to rotate with each shaft section I80 is a collar I 3411 which has the same functions as the aforementioned collars I34. Bores I41a provided in the collars I340 house compression springs I52a which urge plungers I50a against the levers 43a and yieldingly hold ratchet teeth I38a provided upon the levers 43a in engagement with ratchet teeth I31a provided upon the collars I320. A bracket member I8I "is provided for each shaft section I80, the bracket member I8I being rigidly secured by bolts I83, or the equivalent, to the longitudinal frame members 28 of the chassis. A plurality of plungers I4Ia slidably mounted in the bores I40a. formed in each bracket member I8I are yieldingly urged against the associated lever I01a by compression springs I 43a disposed in the bores I40a. The function of the compression springs M312 is to yieldingly hold the ratchet teeth I30a provided upon the associated lever I01a in engagement with the ratchet teeth I3Ia provided upon the collar l32a.

Arcuate lugs I preferably formed integral with each shaft section I80 cooperate with a grooved ball member I85 and a coupling member I81 to form a universal joint which is designated by the reference character I88. The coupling member I81 is pinned or otherwise secured to a sleeve I89 into which a square shaft I90 tele-' scopes. The sleeve I89 resembles the shaft I90 in cross section and, therefore, the shaft I90 is constrained to rotate with the sleeve. Pinned or otherwise secured to one end of each shaft I90 is a collar I92 provided with integral lugs I93. which cooperate with a grooved ball member I94 and a coupling member I95 to provide a universal joint which is designated by the reference character I95. It will be noted that the coupling member I95 is pinned to the associated shaft section 90a. Obviously, when the levers 43a are displaced in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5) the shaft sections 90a will be rotated to expand brake bands 4111 which form parts of the brakes 40a, the brake bands 410. being substan tially identical with the aforementioned brake bands 41. As mentioned above, the mechanism associated with the levers I01a and 430 function in substantially the same manner as the mechanism associated with the levers I01 and 43 and is adapted to take up slack arising from wear, or the equivalent, in the front brakes or in mechanism whereby the levers 43a are operatively connected to the shaft sections 900.

The open end of each brake drum 40a is preferably closed by a plate 54a and the plate 54a is preferably formed integral or is rigidly secured to an associated steering knuckle 200 pivoted to the front axle 29 in the usual manner.

,. An aperture 92a formed in the plate 54a allows a boss 9Ia to project through the plate, the diamter of the boss 9Ia. being less than the diameter of the aperture 92a so that the boss 9Ia may be displaced with respect to the plate 54a. The boss 9Ia preferably journals the associated shaft section 90a and is preferably formed in-' tegral with a cylinder 84a which is preferably identical in construction with the aforementioned cylinders 84. Of course, the mechanism disposed within the cylinders 84a and the mechanism which operatively connects the cylinders with the ends of the brake bands 41:: is substantially identical to the mechanism which is contained in the cylinders 84 and which operatively connects the cylinders with the brake bands 41.

Each of the front brakes 33 comprises automatically adjustable mechanism for limiting angular displacement of the brake bands. This mechanism is substantially identical with that provided in the rear brakes and comprises slides IIOa.

From the foregoing description, it is readily apparent that if the brake lever 31 is angularly displaced in a counter clockwise direction (Fig. 5) the levers 43 and 43a will actuate the brakes 33 and 35 and will bring the automobile to a stop or will slow it down to any desired speed. The levers 43a cooperate with levers I01 and additional mechanism to take up slack in the bands associated with the front brakes 33 and the levers 43 and I01 cooperate with other mechanism to take up slack in the bands associated with the rear brakes 35. Inside of each brake, means comprising a slide H0 or 0:1 is provided for limiting the angular displacement of the brake band around the axis of rotation of the brake drum, the means being adapted toautomatically adjust itself to compensate for wear of the brake linings.

Referring now to Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, I have shown a brake which embodies the invention and may be employed in place of the brakes 33 and 35, it being understood that the brake shown in Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, may have details of its construction modified so that it may be utilized either as a front wheel brake or as a rear wheel brake. The brake shown in Fig. 16 is designated by the reference character 202 and preferably comprises a brake drum 40b engageable by a brake lining 48b carried by a brake band 41b. The brake band 41b is preferably formed by a stamping operation. Thus, I have preferably provided a blank 41c substantially of the form of that shown in Fig. 1'1. At 204 in Fig. 17, I have shown dotted lines along which the blank may be folded to provide inwardly extending tapered flanges 205 upon the brake band 411). The flanges diminish in height from a point substantially midway between the ends of the brake band to points adjacent the ends thereof. This construction insures that the brake bands will expand into substantially true circles and does cause the friction linings to effectively engage the drums without causing undue wear on certain parts of the linings.

Lugs 18b and 11?) are preferably secured to the ends of the brake band 41b, the lugs being provided with rounded heads substantially identical with the rounded heads provided upon the aforementioned lugs 18 and 11. The lug 16b rests in a slide formed in one end of a piston or plunger 830 which is slidably journaled in a cylinder 840. The lug 11b rides in a slot formed in one end of the cylinder 840. The plunger 83c and the cylinder 840 may be of the same construction as the plunger 83 and the cylinder 84, respectively, or may be of the same construction as the plunger 83a and the cylinder 84a, respectively. The construction employed is determined by the use to which the brakes are applied. Thus, if the brakes are to be used in connection with the front wheels, the plunger 83c and the cylinder 840 will preferably be substantially identical in construction with the plunger 83 and the cylinder 84, respectively. Tension springs 205 are arranged to yieldingly contract the brake band 41b and to hold it in sliding engagement with lugs 201 which are preferably formed integral with a plate 208 which closes one end of the brake drum 40b. One end of each spring 206 is secured to the brake band 41b and the other end thereof is preferably secured to the plate 208. Of course, the brake band 41b is preferably somewhat resilient and is preferably constructed so that it tends to assume the shape in which it is shown in Fig. 16. However, it may be expanded into a position wherein it holds its lining in engagement with the interior surface of the drum 48b. To prevent rotation of the brake band 41b relative to the plate 208, I preferably provide an inwardly tapered lug 2! which is riveted or otherwise secured to the brake band. As best shown in Figs. 16 and 21, the lug 2l0 rides in an outwardly flaring groove 2l2 formed in a bracket member US which is rigidly secured by bolts 2, or the equivalent to the plate 208. The construction is such that the brake band can move radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the drum but the drum can not angularly displace it to any material extent around the axis of rotation. The lug is preferably tapered as shown so that the brake band can be angularly displaced a limited distance around the axis of rotation of the drum when the brake band is expanded.

The lug 210 is preferably positioned on the rear portion of the band approximately 120 from the top thereof. Then, when the band is actuated when the car is moving backward, the efficiency of the brake is approximately equal to its efficiency when it is actuated when the car is moving forward. In other words, as shown in Fig. 16, the lug 2H) and bracket member 2l3 are positioned a substantial distance to the rear of a vertical line extending through the axis of rotation of the brake drum and the approximate center of the brake band in a manner to provide a relatively and substantially greater wrap of the brake band when applied to check the movement of the vehicle in a forward direction than when applied to check the movement of the vehicle in a rearward direction, thereby providing a braking action approximately proportional to the normal requirements in the operation of the vehicle. Furthermore, by reason of the arcuate length of the lug 2H! and the corresponding width of the groove 2I2 formed in the bracket member 2I3, a substantially greater wrap of the band is obtained on each side of the lug than would be possible in a structure wherein the lug or anchor had only a single point of engagement for holding it against angular displacement, thereby providing additional working surface in both directions due to the overlapping of the effective surfaces obtained by reason of the substantial arcuate length of the lug 2 l 0.

For example, assuming that the ends of the brake band are each positioned approximately 17 on each side of the vertical center line, and the lug 2"! is positioned to the rearv of the vertical center line in a manner to place the upper rear end of the lug 2) approximately 60 to the rear of the center line and the lower forward end of the lug 2H) approximately 36 to the rear of the center line, it will be observed that if the brake is applied when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction and the drum rotating in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 16, the most effective braking contact with the drum will be obtained over a distance approximating 223 of the brake band, while if the drum is rotating in a rearward direction, or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 16, and the brakes are applied, the most effective braking contact with the drum will be obtained throughout a portion of the brake band approximating 127 due to the arcuate length of the lug 2 l0 and the overlapping of the most effective braking areas of the brake band when applied to check the movement of the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that owing to the normally greater speed of a vehicle in a forward direction, and therefore the desirability of greater braking power to check the forward movement thereof, as compared with the normally slower speed and lesser requirement to check the speed or movement of the vehicle in a rearward direction, the positioning of the lug 210 and its cooperating bracket 213 in the manner described serves to provide a braking actionsubstantially proportional to the normal requirement for checking the movement of the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction, it being observed also that an overlap of approximately 24 in the wrap of the brake band is attained, in the present instance, for checking the movement of the vehicle in either direction due to the arcuate length of the lug 210, thereby increasing the braking efiiciency of the band when actuated to check the movement of the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction, it being understood, of course, that the arcuate length of the lug 2H1 may be varied as desired to suit various conditions.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. A brake comprising a rotatable brake drum, a brake band, a member provided with a groove the edges of which are substantially radial to the brake drum and spaced a substantial distance apart arcuately of the drum and held against rotation with respect to the drum, a lug rigidly secured to saidbrake band, said lug being substantially the same width as and having corresponding radial edges and being engageable with said groove to limit angular displacement of the brake band around the axis of rotation of the drum, and means for contracting the brake band and for yieldingly holding said lug in said groove.

2. A brake comprising a rotatable brake drum, an internal expanding brake band, a non-rotatable plate closing one end of said drum, a bracket having a groove of substantial arcuate width formed therein secured 'to said plate, said groove having substantially radial edges, a lug having a width substantially equal to that of the arcuate width of said groove and formed with corresponding radial edges and engageable therewith in a manner to provide an overlapping of the braking effect of the band when applied to retard the movement of the drum in either a forward or rearward direction, means for expanding the brake band, and resilient means for contracting the brake band in a manner to yieldingly urge said lug 

